miserable sitcom-worthy scripts developed by an unseasoned handful of newcomers killed the show as if they too were possessed by the spirit of Killer Bob
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In the spring of 1990, a mid-season replacement named "Twin Peaks" aired on ABC that would forever change the face of television. Created by the acclaimed director "David Lynch" and "Hill Street Blues" writer Mark Frost, "Twin Peaks" was like nothing that had ever aired on network television. The concept for "Twin Peaks" originally sprung from a screen adaptation of the Marilyn Monroe biography "Goddess," which Lynch and Frost had been working on. While Lynch's brilliant "The Elephant Man" won several Academy Awards, his take on Frank Herbert's science fiction classic "Dune" was a homoerotic flop that barley recouped half of its monstrous budget. Due to Lynch's uneven history of adapting books for the screen, the creative duo were unable to secure the rights to "Goddess." But several of the themes moved onto Frost and Lynch's next project together, "Northwest Passage," which would eventually come to be titled after the town it took place in, "Twin Peaks."
The first season of "Twin Peaks" captivated the minds of television viewers across the country. It became the show to discuss around the water cooler, the unknown stars became magazine-cover worthy, and "Twin Peaks" parties filled homes with viewers hungry with the question, "Who Killed Laura Palmer?" At the end of the eight episode première season, that question had not been answered; instead, more questions arose: "Who shot Agent Cooper?" "Who's Bob?" "What's the Black Lodge?" And, most important, "What the **** is going on?" While many viewers tuned in for the hoped-for answers that season two would herald, many fans grew weary of the pointless side characters, underdeveloped plot lines, and Lynch's own destructive self-indulgence. By the time Laura Palmer's killer was unceremoniously revealed in the eighth episode of season two, ratings had dropped significantly, and most viewers had all but disappeared as the rest of the second season dragged on.
To attempt a renewed interest in the series, several new plot lines were created, which ranged from forgettable (Who's the father of Lucy's baby) to downright awful (anything featuring James and his motorcycle). The final twelve episodes dip into a pool of mediocrity originally parodied by the fake soap opera "Invitation to Love" that preoccupied the simpleminded folks of "Twin Peaks" in season one. The bizarre themes instigated by Lynch disappeared as he turned his back on the show during the second and final season, ushering in new and writers and directors, the majority of them getting their first break on "Twin Peaks." The combination of losing Lynch's artistic vision and the miserable sitcom-worthy scripts developed by an unseasoned handful of newcomers killed the show as if they too were possessed by the spirit of "Killer Bob."
Video:
As a die-hard "Peaks" fan, it's great to finally see the episodes on DVD, fully remastered from the original negatives. Showcased in their original fullscreen format, every episode looks absolutely amazing. For those like myself who have long coveted their VHS set, it's refreshing finally to see the clarity provided by these excellent transfers. While the "Log Lady intros" don't benefit from the remastering done to the individual episodes, they're a great representative of the picture quality we fans put up with on our well-worn VHS tapes. While American fans still have to hold onto Warner Brothers' VHS-only release of the Emmy Award-winning pilot episode, we can finally take our chunky box set of tapes and replace them with these well-done DVDs.
Audio:
Just as they did with the visuals, Paramount has done a magnificent job with the all-new 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound. As a fan who has hosted more than a couple of "Twin Peaks" marathons and has closely examined a generous portion of the dialogue on the old tape set, I can say that the sound clarity on these discs is magnificent.
Extras:
Unfortunately for hardcore fans, the skimpy special features is where Paramount clearly missed the boat. While the four-minute interviews with second season directors Todd Holland, Caleb Deschanel, Duwayne Dunham, Stephen Gyllenhaal, and Tim Hunter are a polite addition to the set, they're ultimately boring and redundant for any fan with an issue of "Wrapped in Plastic" on their coffee table. With the exception of Holland, who went on to create the brilliant but quickly cancelled "Wonderfalls," none of these directors went on to do much more than below-average prime-time network fodder. The fact that their resumes are cramped with shows like "Jag" and "Law and Order" prove their inability to properly helm an original product such as "Twin Peaks." In fact, the best thing the majority of these directors ever produced were their actor children (Zooey Deschanel, Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal) that have gone on to eclipse their parents´ lackluster careers.
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